When their Dad abandoned them at a young age, two brothers were left with unanswered questions. Both different in nature, with Jack struggling and James affluent, they must join forces and try and heal their broken past.
What if something as simple as a connection held the answer?
When their father walked out, he left Jack and James with nothing but a void of unanswered questions. Watching their paths diverge is heartbreaking: Jack is drowning in the struggle of the everyday, while James has built a life of affluence that can’t quite hide his scars. Sophie Bowns has this incredible way of using narrative poetry to peel back those layers. I’ve always been a big fan of her work, but there’s something special about how she handles these two brothers. Her rhymes are as clever as ever, but the storytelling feels deeper here. It makes you wonder: if they could just find a way to truly connect, would that be enough to heal the past? It’s a fast, rhythmic, and deeply moving read that I couldn't put down. Another absolute win for her.
"Of the Past" was a brisk read at times approaching a gallop. It was comfortable and accessible to a broad audience, almost immediately wrapping the reader in a familiar world that we can all relate to. A reader looking to be treated well by the passage of time would be in good hands with Sophie Downs.